Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to construction square tools and devices for measuring angles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pivoting construction square tool with the ability to be used in several capacities and provide a quick reference guide for the user when measuring a roof pitch in a construction environment.
Construction squares are devices that facilitate measuring right angles and ensuring two joining surfaces are plumb. Similar to construction squares are pivoting construction squares, which combine the measuring features of standard construction squares and add the capacity to measure a plurality of angles intermediate to and beyond ninety degrees. The former includes a pair of arms in a static arrangement, while the latter comprises a pair of arms in pivoting relationship, wherein a single pivot point disposed along overlapping ends of each arm provide a scissor tool to measure angles between adjacent surfaces. Various applications exist for these tools, mostly in the construction and home building fields.
Measuring angles with a pivoting construction square involves aligning the pivoting arms to a desired angle or pressing the same against two surfaces, and thereafter registering the angle marker indicia provided. This allows construction workers to rapidly assess the angle between to members to determine compliance with plans. This operation is well known in the art of pivoting construction squares. However, for those construction workers building pitched roofs, the angle of the roof relative to another member or the horizontal is not traditionally measured in angles, but rather in slope as described by the rise distance over a given run (generally 12 inches). This requires one measuring roof to do intermediate calculations when measuring a roof pitch using a standard pivoting construction square tool, which provides angular measurements and not slope ratios.
The present invention facilitates rapid measurement of roof pitch angles and eliminates intermediate calculations by the user. The present invention comprises a pivoting construction square that includes indicia thereon representing a quick reference guide between angular measurements and roof pitch ratios. Furthermore, the present invention provides a multipurpose tool that allows the user to deploy a single tool when measuring or marking various items, including measuring pitch, lengths and angles, as well as marking arc lengths and semi-circles in a similar fashion as a compass tool. Overall, the device advances the art of pivoting construction squares by facilitate comparison of measured angles to roof pitch ratios, and moreover by expanding the capacity of the tool to measure or mark various items without switching tools.
Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to pivoting construction squares and related tools. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to various constructions for pivoting construction squares and those that include some additional features. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
One such device is U.S. Pat. No. 1,916,638 to Rizianu, which discloses a folding square with a pair of pivotably attached blades and an adjusting brace member therebetween. The connection therebetween includes a sliding rail and a turn screw using a countersunk fastener configuration. While providing a device for measuring angles, the Rizianu device fails to provide a bubble level, quick reference indicia for comparing angles to roof pitches, and further does not include the capacity to be used as a drawing compass.
Folding squares that incorporate a bubble level include U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0217473 to Pampel and U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,141 to Welch. These devices incorporate a one-way or two-axis bubble level within one or more of the arms of the disclosed folding square. However, these devices fail to contemplate a set of indicia along one or more of the arms for roofers and construction users when erecting and measuring the pitch of a roof, wherein reference between the measured angle and the desired roof pitch is necessary. Furthermore, these devices fail to contemplate the capacity to draw arcs and circles, wherein the present invention can also function as a drafting compass. Several locations are present for placing a writing implement into the tool, wherein the opposite arm includes a location to secure the center point of the desired arc or circle. Further measurement indicia are provided along outer edge of one arm such that the radius of the arc is known when using the tool in such a manner, whereby the brace is locked at a desired radius such that the center point and the writing utensil distance is known.
Another device in the art is U.S. Pat. No. 8,375,592 to Holt, which discloses a construction square with a unique cross member and measurement indicia along one of the arms. The indicia include both linear indicia for length measurements and angle indicia adjacent to the pivot point of the cross member. While the Holt device provides angular and length measurement indicia, it fails to provide a means of comparing the angle to roof pitch using printed indicia, and further fails to provide a construction that would facilitate use of the device as a compass as contemplated herein.
Similar to the Holt device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,267 to Hathaway, which discloses a construction square having an indexing means such that the device can be locked into a specific angular configuration using a plurality of bores formed in the elongated slot of the construction square legs that are used to realize a specific angle when locking the device in a static state. Similar to Holt, however, the Hathaway device fails to contemplate the many different forms of measurement indicia provided by the present invention, nor does it provide a quick reference guide for roof pitch versus angle or a means of creating measured arcs using the construction square.
The present invention relates to a multipurpose tool that offers users the ability to measure linearly or angularly, to compare angular measurements to roof pitch, to determine pitch of a surface, and to create measured arc lengths or semi-circle marks similar to that of a protractor. The device includes a standard linear ruler, angular measurement indicia based on the separation of the tool arm members, and radius measurements along one edge when using the device as a protractor. Bubble levels along each arm allow for measuring the pitch of a surface when placed thereagainst.
Overall, the present invention advances the art of pivoting construction squares and offers a multi-purpose tool that improves efficiency. It is submitted as being substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing pivoting construction square devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.